Folding food service cart

Abstract

An embodiment of a cart for food service has a folding frame and/or removable shelves. Optionally, the frame includes sidewalls pivotally attached to opposite sides of a back. An optional wheeled base may be pivotally attached to a bottom of the back. In some embodiments, removable shelves are supported by the side walls, for example, sliding between walls on parallel tracks. Optionally the number of shelve can be changed in accordance to the depth and/or number of dishes carried. The cart has stable, locked, unfolded configuration on four wheels and approximately the width of a man. The frame optionally folds into a flat shape that is supported on two wheels and/or the shelve are held to the frame, for example in a pocket. Optionally the shelves and/or walls are made of aluminum and/or the wheels and/or base are made of stainless steel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A folding cart for carrying dishes of food comprising:
 a rigid rear frame member; 
 two rigid sides pivotally attached to opposite sides of said rear frame member for along a vertical axis for opening forward out from said rear frame members; 
 two rear wheels fixedly attached to said opposite sides of a lower portion of said rear frame member; 
 two front wheels supporting to a front portion of said cart in an open configuration and configured for folding towards said rear frame member in a folded configuration; 
 a folding base and wherein said two front wheels are attached to a front portion of the base and wherein said front portion of the base is biased upward; and 
 a plurality of removable shelves configured to be supported on said sides. 
 
     
     
       2. The cart of  claim 1 , wherein a height of the cart and said rigid rear frame member is between 1 to 2 m. 
     
     
       3. The cart of  claim 2 , wherein a width of the cart and said rigid rear frame member is between 30 to 80 cm. 
     
     
       4. The cart of  claim 3 , wherein a width of said rigid rear frame member is between 30 to 80 cm. 
     
     
       5. The cart of  claim 4 , wherein a depth of the cart and said a width of said rigid sides is between 30 to 80 cm. 
     
     
       6. The cart of  claim 1 , wherein said rigid rear frame member includes a sheet of Aluminum. 
     
     
       7. The cart of  claim 1 , wherein each of said sides includes a sheet of Aluminum. 
     
     
       8. The cart of  claim 1 , wherein said removable shelves slide between and are supported by said two rigid sides. 
     
     
       9. The cart of  claim 1 , wherein each of said removable shelves comprises an aluminum plate. 
     
     
       10. The cart of  claim 1 , wherein said cart is configured to roll on said rear wheels when cart is folded. 
     
     
       11. The cart of  claim 1 , wherein a top portion of at least one of said two sides is formed into a handle around which a user may close his fingers to hold the cart. 
     
     
       12. A folding cart for carrying dishes of food comprising:
 a rigid rear frame member; 
 two rigid sides pivotally attached to opposite sides of said rear frame member for along a vertical axis for opening forward out from said rear frame members; 
 two rear wheels fixedly attached to said opposite sides of a lower portion of said rear frame member; 
 two front wheels supporting to a front portion of said cart in an open configuration and configured for folding towards said rear frame member in a folded configuration; and 
 a plurality of removable shelves configured to be support on said sides; 
 further comprising a container for said removable shelves. 
 
     
     
       13. The cart of  claim 12 , further comprising a folding base and wherein said two front wheels are attached to a front portion of the base. 
     
     
       14. The cart of  claim 13 , where said base has a front portion which pivots around a transverse axis at a lower rear portion of the cart. 
     
     
       15. The cart of  claim 14 , where said front portion is pivoted downward when the cart is unfolded and pivoted up when the cart is folded. 
     
     
       16. The cart of  claim 15 , where a front lower portion of each of the rigid sides rests on said front portion of the base when the cart is in an open configuration. 
     
     
       17. The cart of  claim 13 , wherein said front portion of the base is biased upward. 
     
     
       18. The cart of  claim 17 , further comprising a spring performing said biasing. 
     
     
       19. The cart of  claim 13 , wherein said base is made of steel. 
     
     
       20. The cart of  claim 13 , wherein said base is made of steel bars. 
     
     
       21. The cart of  claim 12 , wherein said container is accessible when the cart is open and also when the cart is folded. 
     
     
       22. The cart of  claim 21 , wherein said container includes a pocket on a back surface of said rear member. 
     
     
       23. A folding cart for carrying dishes of food comprising:
 a rigid rear frame member; 
 two rigid sides pivotally attached to opposite sides of said rear frame member for along a vertical axis for opening forward out from said rear frame members; 
 two rear wheels fixedly attached to said opposite sides of a lower portion of said rear frame member; 
 two front wheels supporting to a front portion of said cart in an open configuration and configured for folding towards said rear frame member in a folded configuration; and 
 a plurality of removable shelves configured to be support on said sides; 
 wherein a top portion of at least one of said two sides is formed into a handle around which a user may close his fingers to bold the cart; and 
 further including a cover and wherein said cover includes holes fitting over said handle to hold a top portion of the cover to the top of the cart.